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Aboard the New York Vendée Transatlantic Race
From the moment the Statue of Liberty disappears on the horizon each of the skippers competing in the challenging New York-Vendée Transatlantic Race has to rely on himself and his equipment. No external aid and no stopovers are allowed, except for an emergency or repairs. Sleeping is only possible when weather conditions are stable and the rudder can be left to the autopilot.
Delma is the official timekeeper of the race, one of the five regattas constituting the IMOCA Ocean Masters World Championship. Some of the competing boats are sailed single-handedly, others in teams of two. The one sailor that collects the most points in all of these races can be considered the‘ world’ s best skipper.’ To put this in perspective; more than 4,000 people have summited Mt. Everest and more than 500 people have been into space … but fewer than 100 have ever sailed solo non-stop around the world.
Delma’ s watch for the event is the Shell Star Automatic, a true dive watch. Introduced in 1975, it’ s is a well-known model for the Swiss brand and is far more than a yachting timepiece.
why a divers’ watch? Divers’ watches are the most rugged constructions in the horological world. A divers’ watch is the ideal companion for almost any sport, but especially water sports. Not only are they water-resistant, but they are also built to withstand the harshest conditions. Their steel cases resist the water pressure that increases with every foot a diver descends and well-made models will also withstand inevitable impacts and shocks without leaking or malfunction.
Delma’ s Shell Star automatic watches( about $ 1,000) feature a 44mm stainless steel case rated to an impressive 50atm( with helium release valve) and house an ETA 2824-2 automatic movement with a custom gold plated rotor. The uni-directional bezel is anodized aluminum and the bracelet links and end pieces are solid( not folded) steel.
Delma may not be a household name, but it’ s also not a newborn brand birthed on Kickstarter. If an affordable watch worth the asking price is on your buy list – then give Delma a close look at www. delma. ch. The Shell Star is also available in a quartz version for almost exactly half the price of the( preferred) mechanical rendition.
44 | AboutTime Magazine